The Last Odango
by nat-chan
Summary: Usagi offers Mamoru anything he wants if he will just STOP calling her Odango Atama....
1. chapter 1

The Last Odango  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Author: nat-chan  
  
E-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com   
  
Rated: KG (kissing g ^^)  
  
Genre: First Season Romance  
  
Disclaimer: Sailormoon c'est plus chere pour moi. Je suis desole, mais,  
  
c'est vrai. Je suis une pouvre etudiante avec, seulement, mes idees et  
  
mon couer!  
  
How's that for bad french...ohhhh...gomen, it's been three years people! Three  
  
years!  
  
Revised annnnnd a new chapter coming soon! promise!   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dressing you in the color of dreams  
  
I close my eyes.... And with my love,   
  
I offer to you my kiss  
  
From Dakishimete Itai (I Want To Hold You)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi took a long, thoughtful swallow of her milkshake as she sat with  
  
the other girls. She was very quiet--as though her mind were elsewhere.  
  
The girls had been noticing it lately.  
  
Luna watched her charge and sighed--wondering if the distance  
  
her thoughts no doubt actually stood from scout business was  
  
actally measurable.  
  
But as the meeting finished up, and her short, chipper young trainee  
  
was unusually somber and silent all the way home, Luna--always joking that it   
  
would be a blessed event if Usagi ever quieted down--was actually worried.   
  
After dinner Usagi went straight to her room.  
  
Luna found the blond girl perched at her window seat, odangos   
  
loose and tumblng, still unnaturally quiet.  
  
Finally the golden child spoke--much to Luna's relief, "Luna, I've  
  
been thinking..."  
  
"Yes?" Luna asked, trying to recover from the shock of her admission.  
  
She did not mean to be unkind, but did Usagi really *think* about  
  
anything? Ever?  
  
"Well, you're always saying I should get it together and take some action   
  
in my life...and...you're right. I *do* want to start working harder and  
  
getting something back. So I've decided to go down the list of all the  
  
stresses in my life and tackle them one by one."  
  
Luna's eyes went from wide to happy and proud, "Good for you Usagi!   
  
What will you start with?"  
  
Usagi pulled out a list and smirked wryly, "FIRST," She announced,  
  
"I am going to get Mamoru-baka to stop calling me Odango Atama!!!"  
  
Luna stared at her in disbelief, "Th-that's the first thing on your list?"  
  
Usagi nodded, "Oh yes Luna, because I run into him constantly and then  
  
it distracts me and causes a whole bunch of my OTHER stresses! But don't  
  
worry, homework and the negaverse are on here too!"  
  
And with that gleeful assurance she threw herself into bed and fell  
  
promptly to sleep, feeling she had adequately pacifed her kitty.  
  
But that she did not. Luna merely groaned and fell into her usual  
  
defeated slumber.  
  
But the next day, when the girls met after school and started towards the arcade,  
  
things began to change...  
  
"Guys, I've been thinking." Usagi announced and Luna winced a little.  
  
She was proud of her girl--but unsure of how the scouts would treat her  
  
about this.  
  
"Thinking?!?!" Rei exclaimed before Lita clamped a hand over her  
  
mouth.  
  
"And?" Prompted Makoto encouragingly.  
  
"And," Stated Usagi, fixing Rei with a glare, "I decided to make a list of  
  
priorities. I'm going to go down my stresses one by one and get rid of them  
  
all!"  
  
The girls just stared at her blankly.  
  
Finally Ami cleared her throat and spoke up, "So, what are you going  
  
to do first?"   
  
Usagi smiled, "I intend to get a certain baka to STOP calling me Odango  
  
Atama!"  
  
The girls groaned.  
  
"Usagi!" Rei scolded, "What about school work and scout business?!?! Don't  
  
you think THOSE should be on there!!!"  
  
Usagi turned triumphantly to her, "HAH! Of*COURSE* they are Rei! I have them  
  
all worked out!"  
  
She pulled a shopping bag out of nowhere, "THIS is for my homework!"  
  
She pulled out plastic board and a marker.  
  
"....."   
  
"Don't you guys get it?" She exclaimed, "I'm going to hang this  
  
on the bathroom wall and do my homework in THERE where I can't get distracted.  
  
Then I can have a hot bath, work out my math on this waterproof board and  
  
relax knowing I can go right to bed afterwards!"  
  
Mina looked at Makoto, who looked at Ami who shrugged. No one dared look  
  
at Rei.  
  
"Actually, that's not a half bad idea Usagi." Rei said, thinking about it  
  
as they walked into the arcade.  
  
"NOW for Mamoru-baka!" She announced, scanning the counter for him and  
  
his usual 'coffee'.  
  
~Coffee!~ She scoffed, ~He thinks he's so great just cause he drinks COFFEE!~  
  
But alas, her nemesis had not yet arrived.  
  
"I don't believe it," Joked Usagi, "For once HE'S late!"  
  
She sat down with the girls and ordered her milkshake, "Well," She  
  
said after a sip, "That'll give me time to tell you guys what I've  
  
thought about scout stuff!"  
  
The girls eyes all widened as she pulled out a scribbler. Flipping it  
  
open she scanned over some scratchy looking notes, "Alright. So  
  
we're searching for a Princess right? And you guys are her guards  
  
and I'm just temporary-leader in the meantime. Well, I was thinking  
  
about how every Princess has a Prince and then it occured to me! What  
  
if Tuxedo Mask is the long lost Moon Princess's Prince and he's watching out  
  
for us until we find her? I mean, he might not even remember right?"  
  
Before anyone could respond she continued, "Then I was thinking about  
  
the Generals, and how there's four of them too. Maybe they were the  
  
Prince's guards but they've been turned EVIL hmmm? I mean, we were  
  
all reincarnated right, maybe Beryl just got to them first! What do   
  
you think?"  
  
Everyone simply stared at her for a long moment. Then they all turned  
  
to Ami.  
  
Ami was tapping at her computer....it all made sense, it all seemed logical,  
  
the computer confirmed it was a good analysis.  
  
Ami fainted.  
  
Usagi never noticed though, for at that moment, her nemesis entered the  
  
arcade.  
  
She stood up abruptly and stalked over bravely.  
  
His face lit up at the sight of her, "Hey Odan--"  
  
He was cut off as her small hand reached up and clamped over his mouth, "Don't  
  
even finish it Mamoru-baka!"  
  
She dragged him over to a stool--by the mouth--and sat him down as his eyes widened in   
  
surprise, "Now listen up, you and I are going to work out a deal here--alright?"  
  
He nodded and she took her hand away.  
  
"What sort of deal Odango?" He asked cheerfully--mouth still tingling from her hands  
  
brief touch.  
  
Her eyes narrowed, "ARRRRGH! I want you to STOP calling me that you baka! I have  
  
better things to do with my life then get all frustrated every time you call me  
  
Odango!!!"  
  
He chuckled at her adorable red face but then she stepped closer, making him pale,  
  
making Motoki lean closer with a grin as he winked to the girls who were openly staring  
  
at their leader.  
  
"Look! I will give you any one thing you want--anything in the world, if you will  
  
just STOP calling me that!!!!"  
  
Mamoru regarded her with interest, but then laughed it off, "Gimmie a break!"  
  
Her eyes narrowed and she leaned closer--impossibly close, oh gods he couldn't   
  
breath....and she smelled so sweet--how did she do that?  
  
"Anything you want Mamoru." She said solemnly, "Anything I have the power to give you."  
  
Mamoru looked back into her wide blue eyes and swallowed. Shrugging himself away he moved back a bit,   
  
before he lost his mind, "Give me a minute to think about this." He said gruffly.  
  
Usagi's face relaxed. Good, it was working. She smiled and sat down next to him,  
  
"Take your time!" She said wryly.  
  
He bit his lip. Hmmm....Odango would give him ANYTHING he wanted? But she couldn't give  
  
him the one thing he truly wanted from her, the one thing he was far too terrified to ever  
  
chase after, her love.  
  
His sweet little angel bunny who brightened his day.   
  
Why, if he couldn't tease her and call her Odango....he wouldn't be able to speak to   
  
her at all--ever again! I mean, if he tried to be nice to her, nothing would come  
  
out of his mouth, that meant that, minus insults, there was only silence!  
  
Now he really paled. Usagi watched him curiously, as a strange play of   
  
emotions crossed his face.  
  
~Okay, so I can't stop calling her Odango or I'll lose her. So I'll have to  
  
ask for something I *know* she'll never give me.....I got it!~  
  
His pale face regained it's colour and his smile twisted into the familiar smirk Usagi  
  
knew all too well.  
  
"Alright." He said, "I agree."  
  
"So what's the one thing?" Usagi asked, swallowing as he stood and walked towards her.  
  
He leaned down and whispered it in her ear so that Motoki and the girls--all leaning  
  
over and straining--couldn't hear.  
  
Usagi's eyes widened in shock. Before she could reply, a still grinning Mamoru  
  
straightened and headed for the door, "Tomorrow in the park at 4 *ODANGO*!"  
  
Then he was gone.   
  
Everyone crowded around her at once and started talking.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Hello? Earth to Usagi!!!"  
  
Usagi had gone white to the lips and stood trembling.  
  
Of all the things in the entire WORLD she might have guessed he'd ask for  
  
she would never have guessed *that*.  
  
~B-but...I don't get it? Why *that*? Doesn't he hate me? Why would  
  
he want *that* if he hates me?~  
  
Then another thought occured to her, ~It would be my first. He wants my first.~  
  
For indeed, the one thing Mamoru had asked her for, the one thing he figured  
  
she'd simply refuse to give him, was a kiss....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That's it for the first bit peeps! ^^ 


	2. chapter 2

The Last Odango  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Author: nat-chan  
  
E-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com   
  
Rated: KG (kissing g ^^)  
  
Genre: First Season Romance  
  
Disclaimer: standard  
  
AN's: For Kuris-chan, who asked "Where has all the WAFF gone?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Even if the fireworks become stars, or love vanishes into darkness,   
  
Please don't stop the kiss.   
  
From: Tuxedo Mirage  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi sat at the counter with her head in her hands. The girls were crowded  
  
round her.   
  
Makoto tried coaxing her gently, "Usagi? Usagi?! Can you hear us? Ami,   
  
come here, I think she's gone into shock!"  
  
"Her eyes look so vacant!" Said Mina fearfully.  
  
"I'll get her a soda!" Said Motoki, leaping into action.  
  
But then Rei barged through, "Oh for *shove* get out of the way!"  
  
She took Usagi by the shoulders and shook her violently, "Spit it out  
  
Odango brains! WHAT DOES MAMORU WANT?!?!"  
  
She seemed to snap out of it then, for she started to mutter things to   
  
herself.  
  
"Why *that*?!...I don't understand!......huh?"  
  
"Hurry up with that soda Motoki!" Makoto cried in panic, "She's losing it!"  
  
"Usagi...?" Mina asked uncertainly.  
  
Usagi looked at her, "I don't understand Mina....if he hates me, why would  
  
he ask me for a kiss?"  
  
"A KISS?!?!" Mina managed before fainting.  
  
The girls all became shocked then and Motoki returned to find them little more  
  
than blithering idiots (AN: you have to read that in a british accent minna, a   
  
snobby one!)  
  
"What? What?!" Exclaimed Motoki, eyeing them all.  
  
"What does he want? Makoto? Ami? Rei?....hey, is Mina alright down there?  
  
Can any of you hear me?"  
  
He put down the soda and waited, before becoming impatient.   
  
"SOMEONE BETTER TELL ME WHAT HE ASKED HER FOR OR I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU  
  
*ALL*!!!!!" He bellowed.  
  
This seemed to snap them all out of their trance, for they all replied in  
  
unison--including Usagi--"A KISS!!!"   
  
And that was when Motoki dropped said soda, and fell promptly over backwards,  
  
"HUH?!?!"   
  
Several moments later, everyone collected themselves, and life almost returned to   
  
normal.  
  
The girls all talked at once about why Mamoru would ask for such a thing.  
  
"I don't get it...is it to spite you in some way? By stealing your first kiss?"  
  
"Are you going to do it Usagi? I mean, he *is* cute!!"  
  
"But they're enemies! I don't get it? What is he after? Does he actually think  
  
she'll do it?"  
  
"Probably not."  
  
"I dunno...."  
  
Motoki cut in at this moment, giving Usagi another soda, "Uh, Usagi, girls--"  
  
They all stopped and looked at him.  
  
He focused on Usagi, "Usagi-chan, did you ever think that maybe he's asking you this  
  
way because he would never have the nerve to try and kiss you otherwise?"  
  
"WHAT?!" She shrieked, "Motoki--that can't be it! Mamoru doesn't even like me! He  
  
just enjoys making me mad! Why on earth would he want to kiss me? This is all some   
  
joke to him---he wants to ask me for something that will embarass me! But I don't  
  
care...I never want to hear 'Odango' again!!!"  
  
And that said, she stormed out of the arcade, head held high.  
  
Motoki watched after her.  
  
Mina eyed him, "You think Mamoru actually really likes Usagi?"  
  
Motoki nodded, "Mamoru never bothers with any girls--except Usagi-chan. And I think,  
  
without their banter--he'd be lost. So he's asking her for a kiss because he thinks  
  
she'd never give it to him and things will just stay the same between them--although, I  
  
bet he'd really like a kiss from Usagi!"  
  
They all chuckled.  
  
"You could be right Motoki." Rei commented. He does enjoy teasing her...but he also  
  
pays attention to just her.   
  
The girls eyes began to take on a match-making gleam and Motoki began to feel afraid.  
  
"uhhh...girls...don't get any ideas."  
  
Makoto laughed, "Hah, Mamoru's buried himself in deep this time--we don't need to do   
  
anything. Usagi will kiss him if it means no more 'Odango' and then he'll have to  
  
deal with THAT! In fact, both of them will!"  
  
"I've got a feeling about those two." Mina sighed dreamily.  
  
"Mina! WHAT are you talking about?! Mamoru might have a crush on Usagi, but   
  
them as a destined to be together couple? No way!"  
  
"I don't know Rei," Interjected Ami, "I have a bit of a feeling about them myself...and   
  
my computer data indicates, that although they argue, at another level, they are actually   
  
very compatible."  
  
All eyes turned to Ami. Had AMI actually said that? What was the world coming to?  
  
"You know what? If Ami says so, then I really believe it!" Makoto chuckled.  
  
"Hey!" Protested Mina, "But *I'm* the senshi of LOVE!! Doesn't THAT count for anything?"  
  
No one answered her. sigh, poor Mina...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Usagi went home with a heavy and confused heart.   
  
Mamoru was only doing this for a prank....obviously...it couldn't be anything else...  
  
...could it?  
  
Motoki's words rang again and again in her ears, "Maybe he's only doing it because  
  
he'd never have the nerve to kiss you otherwise....."  
  
That couldn't be right!  
  
No, Mamoru was the enemy and he was probably off somewhere right now, laughing up his  
  
sleeve about this whole thing!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the park...  
  
Mamoru leaned on the bridge rail contently. All had been set right again in the Universe.  
  
Usagi would refuse, Odango would continue, and balance maintained. Thank the heavens.  
  
He smiled at his own ingenius plan. Asking for a kiss, she'd NEVER give him THAT! Her  
  
arch-nemesis! hah!  
  
But then the smile faded as he caught sight of his reflection in the blue waters below.  
  
Truly she would never kiss him. And his heart longed for her--though it had no right to.  
  
But he was lonely and Usagi chased away loneliness like light to shadows.   
  
And he loved her for it. That and a million other things. He hadn't meant to fall.  
  
And she was certainly not the kind of girl he expected to feel anything for--then again,  
  
he'd never expected to love anyone. Figures that he would end up loving the single-most  
  
loveable person in the world. But that was just it. Usagi received love from all she   
  
touched and would therefore notice right off how dreadful he was at it. He, an orphan  
  
with no memories of love and no experience in it either. Save for the brief flashes of  
  
temper that she aimed at him.  
  
She hated him.  
  
And she hated that nickname even more. But hate he could confidentally draw in. Love  
  
he could not. So he stuck with good old dependable hate.  
  
Suddenly he froze. His two sentences swimming strangely in his head...  
  
She hated him. She'd never kiss him. She hated that nickname. She'd never kiss him.  
  
She hated that nickname SO much, maybe, just maybe, she WOULD kiss him???  
  
Oh Gods!!! That possibility just had not been thinkable and suddenly it was!! His stomach  
  
dropped out of him like ten tons of stone. His mouth ran dry. And it was then the most  
  
horrifying thing of all struck him.   
  
His breath.   
  
If the Odango would really kiss him, his BREATH had to be PERFECT!!!! All thoughts  
  
of reprocussions...of worrying that it would be a kiss of hate...of wondering how he could  
  
face her afterwards....they all fled him, his mind narrowed to the single task of avoiding  
  
bad breath with every means possible.  
  
Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.  
  
He took off for the nearest drugstore in a trail of dust that put his precious Usagi to shame.  
  
But shame would only be the tip of the iceburg if his breath was bad.  
  
Motoki was locking up the arcade when he spotted Mamoru dashing across the street and into  
  
the drugstore as though the devil were at his heels.  
  
Curious, he headed slowly over.   
  
Mamoru flew to the toothpaste aisle and stopped in front of the mouthwash. He looked  
  
for the strongest, the biggest, the most POWERFUL mouthwash....he couldn't leave anything  
  
to chance! He picked up the biggest, econo-size jug of mint-o-wash available and that's  
  
when Motoki turned down his aisle.  
  
He froze, panicked, and looked desperately around for some sort of escape. Motoki couldn't  
  
catch him like this....he might put it together...somehow...Motoki always had a nack for   
  
figuring out things that humiliated him!!!!  
  
He quickly turned to the other shelf to pretend to be shopping for whatever was there.  
  
Pantyhose.  
  
This was not good. He tried vainly to hide the mouthwash but it sloshed obviously behind  
  
his back.  
  
Motoki meanwhile had already put it alllll together.   
  
~Ha ha, he must of actually figured out she might go through with it....now to make  
  
him squirm a bit....~  
  
Mamoru recognized that 'make him squirm a bit' look in his friend's eyes and blanched.  
  
Turning on his heel he ran away quite abruptly, past the cashier and out the door, still  
  
clutching the mouthwash which was now....stolen.  
  
He never realized this however, and ran all the way home without stopping, gasping behind   
  
his closed apartment door and then hiding the mouthwash as though Andrew would fly in behind  
  
him, point at it and yell "AHA!"  
  
He locked the door and put a chair against it, then ran into his room and threw himself   
  
onto the bed.  
  
It was then, he realized the next horrifying thing he must face...  
  
How to stay sane until 4 o'clock the next day!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. chapter 3

The Last Odango  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Author: nat-chan  
  
E-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com   
  
Rated: KG (kissing g ^^)  
  
Genre: First Season Romance  
  
Disclaimer: standard  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
6 am - The Big Day  
  
Chiba Mamoru headed out for his jog--then horrifically  
  
realized it would involve going through THE PARK.  
  
(aka - the rende-vous where the...kami he couldn't even  
  
think it!!!!)  
  
A detour around said park and through the city resulted  
  
in several near-accidents, a terrible run-in with "Kiki"  
  
the new assistant at work with the hots for him (what a  
  
cruel coincidence that she also jogged), and finally  
  
with a pigeon choosing to relieve itself at the exact  
  
moment Mamoru passed beneath his tree.  
  
This was not a good start.  
  
7 am.....................................  
  
Mamoru finished the last of his breakfast after taking  
  
three showers to rid his precious hair of what he  
  
dubbed the 'devil-pigeon''s poop.  
  
He ran his fingers nervously through his dark locks  
  
again, wondering if a fourth shower might do....  
  
8 am..........................................  
  
Mamoru entered the drugstore and headed for the check  
  
out, cheeks burning with shame.  
  
He informed the clerk that he made a rather hasty  
  
retreat the previous day and failed to pay for  
  
his purchase of mouthwash.  
  
The older man behind the register gave a hearty   
  
laugh and accepted his money saying,  
  
"That's quite alright son--young men in love  
  
often do such things!"  
  
Mamoru paled and left the store--after purchasing  
  
every kind of gum, mint, spray, cert and cloret  
  
known to mankind.  
  
He wondered what on earth the clerk could have meant.  
  
9 am............................................  
  
Mamoru entered the arcade and sat down across from   
  
Motoki.  
  
"Good morning Motoki." He greeted, eager for his  
  
cheery friend to lift his spirits.  
  
But Motoki merely grinned, "Why Mamoru, what very  
  
MINTY breath you have today! Why ever could THAT  
  
be?"  
  
Mamoru's face filled with rage, but he didn't have a  
  
chance to throttle Motoki.  
  
"Coffee?" Motoki inquired smoothly.  
  
The thought of beautiful, nerve-soothing coffee  
  
calmed Mamoru. His one comfort....  
  
"Hai" Replied Mamoru then choked, "WAIT! No!"  
  
Agony tore at him....but coffee breath was....unthinkable!  
  
Motoki's eyes widened, he leaned closer to his friend,  
  
"Mamoru, have you ever gone a day without coffee?"  
  
But Mamoru's eyes were wild, "I'll be fine Motoki...."  
  
His hands shook. He checked his watch, 9:05 am?  
  
"What am I going to do all day?" He moaned into  
  
his arms as he buried his face in them.  
  
Motoki leaned over, "Uh, pal? I thought you had  
  
to WORK today?"  
  
Suddenly Mamoru jumped up, "Oh no!"  
  
He WAS supposed to be at work! What was this  
  
wretched not-even-kiss doing to him?  
  
Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!  
  
Motoki laughed at the trail of supersonic dust  
  
left in Mamoru's wake--flavoured severly with mint.  
  
9:06.................................................  
  
Mamoru arrived at work.  
  
9:07.................................................  
  
Usagi arrived at the arcade.  
  
Motoki looked agast from the clock to Usagi.  
  
Clock.  
  
Usagi.  
  
Clock.  
  
Usagi.  
  
Was this some sort of mirage? Perhaps HE needed  
  
coffee.  
  
"Usagi-chan, it's before 10 am! On a Saturday!  
  
That's still single digit time Usagi! Are you  
  
well?"  
  
Then it struck him. The kiss was bothering her   
  
even more than Mamoru!  
  
But noticing that Usagi's breath was not 40 degrees  
  
lower than normal due to the catalystic effects of   
  
multiple breath-freshners he decided no, Mamoru  
  
was definitely more freaked out.  
  
Usagi's shoulders sagged sadly and Motoki felt  
  
a pang of worry. Usagi had probably never been  
  
kissed.   
  
He fixed her a double fudge banana split.  
  
"Here Usagi." He smiled, setting it down in  
  
front of her, "Don't worry ok?"  
  
Her sad blue eyes looked up then, "But Motoki,  
  
I still don't understand? Why a kiss?"  
  
Andrew smiled, "Usagi, I really do think that--"  
  
He started his speech from the day before but   
  
stopped, deciding to say something else instead.  
  
He leaned down close to Usagi and spoke quietly,  
  
"Usagi, Mamoru has never kissed anyone either."  
  
Usagi's eyes widened.  
  
Then Motoki grew nervous and pulled at his collar,  
  
"Now Usagi, I'm entrusting this knowledge to you  
  
in confidence....you won't tell anyone right?"  
  
Usagi nodded seriously, "Ofcourse Motoki-oni-san!"  
  
Her eyes turned into little upside down "U"s,  
  
"No one but the girls!"  
  
Motoki smiled, "Yes Usagi, that's right, no one  
  
but the--GIRLS!"  
  
He shouted the last part as reality struck, but Usagi  
  
was already out the door, as the bells chimed her   
  
departure.  
  
And to Motoki, their usual jangle held the quality  
  
of a funeral march....Mamoru was going to kill him.  
  
Usagi headed straight for the temple, rubbing her hands  
  
together. She would gather the girls together and form,  
  
a kissing plan.  
  
Yes. A kissing plan.  
  
And this plan would allow her to face the challenge  
  
necessary to survive the four-o-clock rendez-vous  
  
and reign victorious!  
  
Someone had better know something about kissing!  
  
Or the Baka might take up calling her Odango on  
  
a permanant basis!  
  
Unthinkable.   
  
Usagi would not rest until everything on her list  
  
was crossed off.  
  
She hurried into the temple and searched for Rei.  
  
Not in the main temple.  
  
Not in her room.  
  
Not in the bath.  
  
Not outside praying.  
  
Hmmm......  
  
She walked through the yard, beginning to feel  
  
worried and being silent in case Rei was in  
  
trouble with the enemy.  
  
Coming out of some nearby bushes, she spotted Rei's  
  
familiar head of black hair on a nearby bench.  
  
But her face was obscured--by Chad's lips!!!!!  
  
GASP! Rei was KISSING Chad!  
  
Or was Chad kissing Rei?  
  
Hmm....it was hard to tell and Usagi realized  
  
that once in the act of kissing, philosophical  
  
debate couldn't even solve the deep and  
  
ponderous quandry of who was kissing who.  
  
Her eyes began to swirl with the effort.  
  
Was this why that chicken/egg question was  
  
so confusing?   
  
She suddenly began wondering about trees falling  
  
in empty forests, when the kiss ended.  
  
She quickly regained herself and realized her  
  
obvious victory as she charged over to Rei.  
  
"Perfect! You're an EXPERT on kissing Rei!"  
  
Rei turned a shade of red only slightly less   
  
blaring than poor Chad.  
  
But Usagi was too jubilant to notice.  
  
She quickly called the other girls on her communicator  
  
to invite them over as Rei hurried Chad away.  
  
She returned in full fury.  
  
"Usagi, if you DARE tell ANYONE--"  
  
"Rei, thank goodness YOU have some  
  
kissing experience. I've invited the other  
  
girls so you can all help me prepare for this  
  
afternoon!"  
  
Rei's eyes widened, "The other girls???"  
  
She grabbed Usagi by the shoulders, "Usagi, you  
  
will NOT tell the other girls that Chad and I--we--er--"  
  
Usagi smiled, "Don't worry Rei, your secret's safe  
  
with me!"  
  
Rei almost breathed a sigh of relief, but knew  
  
Usagi too well to consider herself home free.  
  
She and Usagi prepared snacks for the other girls until  
  
they arrived and Rei prayed to every deity she could  
  
remember that Usagi would just keep quiet for once in  
  
her life about this one thing.  
  
Perhaps because Usagi was to one day assume a deity-like status.  
  
Perhaps because Usagi was a force even deities couldn't reckon with.  
  
Perhaps the course of fate demanded it.  
  
Whatever the case, Rei's prayers were ofcourse, in vain.  
  
The girls arrived, looking worried at the urgency of the meeting.  
  
But Usagi quickly explained,  
  
"Girls, I need a kissing plan!"  
  
They looked blankly at her for a moment. Then Ami looked   
  
desperately like she wanted to go home, "Er, Usagi, we're  
  
not exactly experts on the subject."  
  
The other girls nodded sadly.  
  
"Ami, I'm sure you can look up stuff in your computer!" Usagi  
  
proclaimed cheerfully.  
  
"Mako, I need an agressive, no-nonsense approach to this  
  
kiss!" Mako ground her fist into her hand,  
  
"RIGHT!"She agreed, eager to enforce *force* of any kind. Perhaps  
  
she could pound Mamoru into submission? Yes....excellent.  
  
"Mina, you're the scout of love! You MUST be able to help me!"  
  
Mina smiled, highly flattered,  
  
"Ofcourse Usagi!" Then her eyes took on a highly concentrated look.  
  
Rei made the mistake of exhaling in relief since the attention  
  
was off her.  
  
"And everyone, we really have nothing to worry about since Rei has  
  
LOT'S of kissing experience."  
  
For a moment Rei's face took on the expression only those close  
  
to Usagi can make. It is the resignation of one's fate to higher,   
  
and highly unlucky, powers.  
  
Then her eyes widened as all the girls turned on her with narrowed  
  
eyes.  
  
"Rei, you've been kissed?"  
  
"Rei! You never TOLD us!"  
  
"Rei, all those sleep-overs, you were lying to us!"  
  
Usagi's eyes went swirly, "I'm not sure if she was kissed  
  
or doing the kissing....it's very confusing..."  
  
The other three didn't notice. Rei turned a bit red.  
  
"Look you guys, it only happened just recently and I didn't  
  
want to say anything...yet...."  
  
"WELL, WHO IS IT???!!!!" Cried Mako.  
  
They all leaned in and Rei sweatdropped audibly.  
  
Just then Chad popped through the bushes with a plate of  
  
biscuits, "Here you are, just out of the oven Rei and   
  
Usagi...and everyone....*sweat*..."  
  
For everyone had turned on him as he handed the biscuits to Rei and  
  
a funny look crossed her face.  
  
They knew. Rei knew they knew. And worst of all, Chad knew they  
  
knew.  
  
"Er...hi girls...heh heh heh" He managed, scratching his shaggy  
  
hair in discomfort.  
  
Then he bolted.  
  
And Rei was left alone.  
  
"I *KNEW* IT!" Cried Mina.  
  
"You did not!' Yelled Mako.  
  
"I told you before Mako, you wouldn't listen, so pay up!"  
  
Mako grudginly handed Mina five dollars.  
  
"I can't believe you bet money on Rei's personal life guys!"  
  
Ami exclaimed in horror.  
  
"I can't believe you didn't let me in on it!" Exclaimed Usagi,  
  
her plight momentarily forgotten.  
  
"Look you guys," Said Rei hotly, "The issue at hand here is USAGI  
  
kissing MAMORU, *REMEMBER*???!!!"  
  
All eyes returned to Usagi who swallowed uncomfortably.  
  
Rei rolled her eyes, "Alright, so, everyone split up and get  
  
started formulating a plan! We'll meet up in an hour!"  
  
Everyone scurried away "Right!" leaving Rei and Usagi alone.  
  
"Now," Said Rei, lowering her voice, "Usagi, what do you want to  
  
know about kissing?"  
  
"EVerything!"  
  
Rei sweatdropped, "Errr..."  
  
Usagi brandished a pad and pen with breakneck speed.  
  
Rei looked at her eager face, "Uhh...I don't know what  
  
to tell you--this is very strange. You see, most people  
  
that kiss actually WANT to."  
  
Usagi frowned, "Well, yes, but, *objectively* speaking..."  
  
Rei was a little baffled at such a long word coming from  
  
her friend.  
  
"It's just that "wanting to" kinda dictates the how-to of it  
  
all..." She trailed off as Usagi glared at her.  
  
Rei cleared her throat, "Alright, well, the first part of  
  
kissing is the lean-in."  
  
"The lean-in?"  
  
"Yes, the lean-in."  
  
Usagi wrote down:  
  
1. The Lean-in  
  
"Yes, either one person leans over--usually the  
  
taller person leans down, sometimes the shorter person  
  
stands on tip-toes, OR, both people lean in and meet  
  
half-way."  
  
Usagi finished writing that down and looked a little  
  
swirly-eyed again.  
  
"How do you know WHICH lean-in to use??"  
  
Rei sighed, "Well, usually whoever WANTS to initiate that  
  
particular kiss...it kind of just happens in the moment."  
  
Usagi was thoughtful, "Well, the *Jerk* is the one who  
  
had the idea so I'm assuming *he'll* lean in."  
  
"But remember Usagi, he might be trying to bluff you so  
  
that he can keep calling you Odango forever."  
  
Usagi looked furious, "BLUFFING!!! Oh yeah? Well, *I'd*   
  
better do the lean-in then!"  
  
She put a star to add this possible secondary option.  
  
Rei was getting a little frightened by her list-making.  
  
"Ok, got it. What's the second part?"  
  
Rei thought for a moment and seemed to blush, "Awww...Usagi  
  
there's so many different *ways* to kiss. I don't know what  
  
to say...."  
  
Usagi made huge puppy-dog eyes at her and the result was highly  
  
effective.  
  
"Ok ok, sheesh, turn the high-beams off! Um...well...once  
  
you've leaned in Usagi, you should tilt your head to one  
  
side or the other--"  
  
She demonstrated, "--otherwise you might bump noses."  
  
Usagi wrote this down AND added a diagram:  
  
2. The face-tilt (to avoid bumping noses)  
  
"Great, thanks Rei-chan."  
  
Rei was really concentrating now, "Ok, item three: contact.  
  
Now Usagi, there are several ways lips can meet, since there  
  
is a bottom lip AND top lip. First, both can meet, top to top  
  
and bottom to bottom--a nice innocent first-time meeting place  
  
if I do say so myself. Then, *he* can take YOUR top or bottom  
  
lip between his, or you can do the same for him--but remember,  
  
while, for example, your bottom lip is between both of his,  
  
technically *his* top lip is between both of yours."  
  
Usagi wrote diligently:  
  
3. Contact: Possible contact combinations:  
  
a) Top-Top/Bottom-Bottom (Beginner)  
  
b) my Top/his Top-Bottom (includes (e))  
  
c) my Bottom/his Top-Bottom (includes (d))  
  
d) his top/my Top-Bottom (includes (c))  
  
e) his bottom/my Top-Bottom (includes (b))  
  
Rei was on a roll!  
  
"Item four: Tongue."  
  
"WHAT??!!!" SHrieked Usagi, "NO *WAY* REI! EWWWW!"  
  
Rei rolled her eyes, "Usagi, tongue is NOT disgusting."  
  
"YOU SAID IT AGAIN REI! BLAAAAHHH!!!!!"  
  
"Usagi, calm down and be rational. If a kiss is really  
  
great, it natually leads to tongue."  
  
"STOP SAYING IT REI! NOOOOOO!!!!!"  
  
Rei had the wicked thought that she had trumped Mamoru  
  
in finding a word that disturbed Usagi MORE than Odango.  
  
"Usagi, you should include this on your list!"  
  
"Rei! I WOULD *NEVER* do *that* with Mamoru!!!!!"  
  
Rei sighed, "I suppose since it *is* a kiss of hate,  
  
tongue isn't so much an issue."  
  
"I NEVER want to hear that word AGAIN!"  
  
Rei laughed, "Just you wait Usagi....someday you'll  
  
eat those words!"  
  
"No way! Look, is there anything else?"  
  
"Hmmmm...." Rei said thoughtfully, "Oh! Item four:  
  
the neck clasp."  
  
Usagi reluctantly wrote: (in extremely small letters)  
  
3...........tongue.........(ew)  
  
then:  
  
4. The Neck Clasp  
  
"For better leverage and control during the kiss it's  
  
important to get at least one hand behind the head of the  
  
person you are kissing. It also helps to steer items one  
  
and two."  
  
Usagi wrote all this down.  
  
"I think that's it." Rei said thoughtfully, "I can't think  
  
of anything else."  
  
And at this, the girls returned.  
  
Mina was in the lead carrying a plethora of pink frilly  
  
bags and grinning madly.  
  
Ami came next with a hefty folder of data.  
  
Mako was last, a self-defense manual tucked under her arm  
  
and what looked like a mop in the other hand!  
  
Usagi looked at Rei and whispered, "Is that a mop? Help me  
  
Rei!"  
  
The girls looked satisfied with their plans and plunked all  
  
their strange equipment down in front of them.  
  
Ami went first, "I've compiled all the kissing data I could  
  
find and determined the longest a human being can go without  
  
oxygen, and the optimim kiss length before you'll become  
  
short of breath."  
  
As she spoke she spread various highly technical looking   
  
charts across the ground.  
  
"This arch reflects kiss length against oxygen supply..."  
  
Ami explained, pointing to the highest point, "This kiss  
  
length is optimal both for oxygen maintenance and...well...  
  
...satisfaction." She turned tomotoe red and fell silent.  
  
Mina piped in, "I brought ALL my make-up, perfume and hair bobbles  
  
Usa so you can look PERFECT and KNOCK him dead! He'll be eating  
  
his words when you show up!"  
  
"Thanks Mina!" Usagi smiled.  
  
They turned to Mako uncertainly. She planted the mop into the ground  
  
and faced them determindly,  
  
"Now Usa, I want you to be prepared, in case he tries anything *fishy*."  
  
"Now, say this mop is Mamoru, you want to be, count 'em, three steps back  
  
at all times, *all* times Usagi! And if he *tries* anything--"  
  
"What do you mean *tries* anything?" Usagi asked--not sure she wanted to hear  
  
the answer.  
  
"Oh, you'll *know* if he does, trust me. And if he does, there are a couple  
  
of simple defense moves that will put him in his place. Just a gentle  
  
turn, twist and--"  
  
At this point her turning and twisting of the Mamoru mop resulted in its  
  
snapping in two, as Lita's leg connected with what Usagi could only guess  
  
she meant to be Mamoru's shin. She winced as the broom fell to pieces on the  
  
ground.  
  
Lita flashed her a bright smile, "Got it?"  
  
She turned to Rei, "Got another mop? I think we should practice!"  
  
Usagi shot Rei a beseeching glance and Rei took pity on her,  
  
"Er, we don't want to run out of time here-let's give Mina a chance  
  
to do her...er...makeover."  
  
Usagi smiled gratefully--though it faded as Mina squealed and launched  
  
at usagi, dragging her into the temple to change.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~meanstwhile~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A very hagard looking Mamoru entered the Crown Arcade and collapsed  
  
into a stool.  
  
"Ready to tell me what's going on?" Smiled Motoki.  
  
A muffled sob answered him, then Mamoru raised his head to bite out,  
  
"I *know* you know Motoki."  
  
Motoki grinned, "Good, then we can just cut to the chase. You love  
  
Usagi, and now she's going to kiss you."  
  
Mamoru froze for a moment. Then his head dropped into this arms again  
  
with a sob.  
  
Motoki's smile was not in danger of leaving, "There, there pal. Don't  
  
worry. Usagi hasn't kissed anyone before either. You're both in  
  
the same boat."  
  
Mamoru's head shot up. His eyes narrowed. That calculating expression  
  
that made him an A student and a scary, scary man came into his eyes.  
  
"*Either*??" He said suspiciously. Motoki paled.  
  
"What do you mean *either* Motoki? You didn't *tell* Usagi that I had  
  
never kissed anyone before did you Motoki?"  
  
Motoki took a tentative step back.  
  
"Er...'course not pal...heh heh heh."  
  
"I think you're lying to me Motoki."  
  
Motoki reflected at that moment that Mamoru could totally be one of  
  
those interrogators like on those cop shows. The way he kept saying his   
  
name....Motoki took another step back. Mamoru did not wait for   
  
confirmation but launched himself over the counter at Motoki who tried   
  
to duck out of the way but was eventually wrestled to the ground.  
  
"Mamoru, I know you're under a lot of pressure about this--but you  
  
have no one to blame but yourself!"  
  
"Oh no Motoki, you're wrong. I have YOU to blame for telling  
  
Usagi I have never kissed anyone!!!"  
  
Motoki managed to wrestle his way up and had only to duck and  
  
weave around the equipment as Mamoru chased after him.  
  
"Mamoru! Calm down! I didn't mean to!"  
  
He was interupted by a bucket of ice cream flying towards his head.  
  
"Seriously Usagi was really upset so I tried to make her feel better!"  
  
Smash. Another tub of ice cream connecting not with Motoki's head   
  
but something breakable behind him. Not good.  
  
"It's not *my* fault you asked her for a kiss!"  
  
This comment seemed to inspire Mamoru to all-out rage for he dropped   
  
whatever he was going to throw next (Motoki could never be sure what  
  
it was) and lunged directly at him. Motoki squealed like a girl and  
  
leapt over the counter.   
  
Indeed Mamoru was cracking under the pressure. In his mind, Motoki  
  
had ruined his life by telling Usagi he had never kissed anyone before.  
  
How exactly he had ruined it by saying this was foggy and unimportant.  
  
It was inconsequential to the immediate task at hand. Motoki must die.  
  
"Mamoru, buddy, I'm sure it's not as bad as you think it is!" Motoki was  
  
pleading as he backed into a wall.  
  
Mamoru was stalking over to him and his eyes looked truly red.  
  
He was making mental notes. After beating the treachorous Motoki  
  
into next week he needed to remedy this no kissing experience thing  
  
immediately. Second to avoiding bad breath, avoiding bad kissing  
  
was paramount. It did not occur to him that Usagi, much like himself,  
  
wouldn't know bad kissing if it---well you get the idea. How he  
  
would garner this necessary experience was foggy and unimportant.  
  
It would come to him after he had pummeled the traitor: Motoki.  
  
Alas, said pummelling was never to occur. A sudden, sharp pain  
  
to Mamoru's head alerted him that he had another fight waiting.  
  
One with Sailormoon.  
  
Motoki watched Mamoru suddenly twitch and grab his head, then  
  
turn abruptly on his heel muttering, "I gotta go."   
  
Motoki stared after him. A customer approached the till to pay  
  
and looked down at Motoki, crouched against the wall then after   
  
the enraged young man.  
  
"You know him?" He asked Motoki. But Motoki only stared after   
  
Mamoru, still breathing hard.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanstwhile, Tuxedo Mask made for the battle sight, eager to  
  
discharge some unwanted violent tension. The scouts were  
  
surprised to see him leap from the shadows in a shower of  
  
steel tipped roses and then launch himself at the youma, beating  
  
it relentlessly with his cane.   
  
They looked from one to another uncertainly.  
  
"What's up with Tuxedo Mask?" Rei said, sarcasm and surprise  
  
in her voice.  
  
"He seems...angry..." Makoto observed--rather unnecessarily.  
  
Indeed Mamoru was muttering strange things as he beat away  
  
at the hard-shelled youma. Rei was sure she caught him  
  
saying "I..haven't..had...coffee....!!!!" each word falling  
  
on a whack of his cane. That couldn't be right--could it?  
  
Usagi was powering up her attack, ready to blast it, unaware  
  
of the seemingly possessed Tuxedo Mask still wailing on said  
  
youma.   
  
"Hey! Cape boy!" Rei hollared, "Watch out before Sailormoon  
  
fries you!"  
  
He didn't hear.  
  
"He's gone retarded!" Rei fumed, throwing her hands in  
  
the air.  
  
Indeed, it was only sheer luck that Tuxedo Mask glanced  
  
up to see Sailormoon seconds away from launching her attack.  
  
He leapt hastily aside and watched as she blasted it. It  
  
exploded in a rather unseemly fashion and large, sharp  
  
looking pieces of it flew out in all directions. He swooped  
  
down to sweep Sailormoon to safety and that's when it struck him.  
  
No, not a piece of the youma, inspiration!  
  
He needed kissing experience. Sailormoon was in his arms. They  
  
both had hidden identities. What an ideal situation for practicing!  
  
Usagi felt him take off to a nearby tree and place her  
  
gently on her feet. Even through the mask she saw a sudden  
  
determination come into his eyes. He swallowed, took her  
  
by the shoulders and leaned down.  
  
He was going to kiss her! Usagi felt a sudden rush of mixed  
  
emotions. He was cute. She'd never been kissed. A short  
  
time from now she had to kiss Mamoru. What a perfect time  
  
to try out Rei's list! And, he was cute.  
  
She smiled and reached up to clasp his neck.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Chapter 4

The Last Odango

Chapter 4

Author: nat-chan

E-mail: natalie. KG (kissing g )

Genre: First Season Romance

Disclaimer: standard

author's notes: holy crapola it's been a long time since I started this fic.

For my first act of the new year I shall post up the next chapter

ennnnnnnnjoy!

* * *

Usagi remembered to tilt her head, the neck clasp was already in place,

all was going exactly as it should--and what minty breath Tuxedo Mask had...

Alas, kissing and balance have never been known to work together and the

branch they were standing on wasn't all that sturdy and CRACK it gaveway...

With a gasp, a scream and an unexpected "Who-oa"  
they fell and landed in the bushes below.

Usagi still found herself in her hero's arms and as they checked themselves

for immediate injury and realized they were fine Tuxedo Mask gave her

an impish grin, "Oops..."

And she found herself laughing with him.

They were tangled up in the bushes, at odd angles so that all the tilting and

neck clasping in the world couldn't have worked properly but she didn't care.

His face changed, the smile slowly dispelling as he leaned up, catching her face

in his hands. She caught the front of his jacket and met him halfway, their mouths

touching sweetly and holding as a strange rush of feelings emerged from that kiss.

And it was just starting to get interesting when the rest of the Senshi discovered them.

A rush of flames burned away those bushes and the four scouts stood glaring down

at them.

"Get away from Sailor Moon!" Makoto shouted and looked ready to use her mop

killing technique from earlier.

Tuxedo Mask was unceremoniously ripped away from Usagi and looked

rather surprised.

Rei looked between them with fury.

"WELL? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?"

And to their utter surprise Tuxedo Mask broke into a crooked smile

and said "It was so worth it!"

Then he disappeared laughing into the night as all the scouts tried to

attack him at once.

Rei turned to find Usagi grinning madly at his comment.

They pulled her to her feet and she said happily. "That was exactly what I needed!

Practice! And I didn't need any of your theories or self-defense methods at all!"

Mako-chan looked rather shocked at that and said "Usagi,  
he was lying on top of you in the bushes!"

Usagi merely smiled and Mako-chan was left with two thoughts.  
Either he really hadn't tried anything funny or her leader was QUITE the hentai.

They headed for the shrine to collect themselves and rest and Usagi looked very

well-pleased with herself.

"My problems are over!" she sang, "I'm pretty good too, I think."

Rei rolled her eyes.

"We don't even know if he's the enemy." Ami said helplessly.

But Usagi was past caring about that, "So? NOW I'm ready to face Mamoru and

finally be rid of that nickname FOREVER!"

The word forever really seemed to echo ominously and Mako-chan hastily

sweatdropped.

"Don't you see? After this I will be stress free! I will be the happiest most

focused Usagi I can be! Everything will fall into place! School is better, scout

business is better. This is the last thing on my list!"

She had worked herself up into quite a righteous rant now and was waving her

small fist in the air, having climbed atop a bench as she spoke.

"But Usagi, it's Mamoru-baka, do you really WANT to kiss him?" Rei cut in,

dashing cold water on her parade--or should I say tirade? ;)

Usagi paused but then continued undaunted, "I'd rather kiss him than

hear Odango again!" she triumphed!

With that, she checked her watch and jaunted off to the park,  
eager to usher in the era of Usagi-zen-dom.

After she left the girls settled down still shaking their heads.

"She's crazy." Rei lamented, "I think I liked her better before she was

crazy AND scheming!"

Makoto nodded, "I'm really worried now about that Tuxedo Mask guy"  
she ground her fist into her palm, "I must keep a closer eye on him in future..."

Mina sighed, "I wonder how it will all work out...they're both a little insane."

Ami was tapping away at her computer. She had suddenly thought of something and

now looked up at them all in abject horror.

"uhhhh guys?"

"Yeah Ames?"

"Remember how Usagi's theories about Tuxedo Mask being the long lost

Prince seemed to really hold up?"

"Yeah."

"And how when I analyzed Mamoru and Usagi's personalities in the master

computer it told me that although they argue, on another level they are totally

compatible?"

"Mmhmmm." they replied.

"Yes well, I put in this new data of Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon kissing and it

has combined all my data together unexpectedly..."

"And?" Rei asked after a long and dramatic pause.

Ami looked up wide-eyed, "You are not going to BELIEVE who Tuxedo Mask is!"

* * *

Mamoru entered the arcade with a definite swagger. Motoki just shook his

head, wondering why he looked so pleased.

"I" Mamoru announced with satisfaction, "am READY!"

"Oh really?" Motoki asked.

"Oh yes!" Mamoru returned, "I had some practice! Whatever happens,  
I'm READY!"

Motoki laughed, "So if she doesn't kiss you, you can keep teasing her. And

if she DOES kiss you, you know you'll get it right?"

"Exactly!" Puffed Mamoru proudly.

"And what exactly will happen after that?"

Mamoru paused mid-puff. What WOULD happen exactly?

Motoki happened to glance at his watch at this moment and smiled even

MORE broadly, "I'm glad to hear you're so prepared for the moment that

SHOULD have happened 20 minutes ago!"

Mamoru's eyes widened in horror. He looked at his watch, shook

it and held it to his ear.

"My watch stopped!" he squeaked, "I must have broken it when

I fell out of that tree."

(Motoki was never to understand that particular statement)

He moved to run out the door but at that moment the girls burst in,

sans Usagi, looking quite wild.

They spotted Mamoru and all started yelling at once. His eyes widened.

"Mamoru!"

"We know everything!"

"Don't you DARE even THINK about TOUCHING Usagi!"

(this from Mako-chan who was shaking him by the shirt and

lifting him bodily off the ground as she spoke)

"The gig is up buddy!" Rei said.

"What are you talking about?" Mamoru choked out.

"We know...about the roses." Mina said mysteriously and

tapped her nose.

Motoki was more confused than ever. Mamoru's eyes

widened in shock.

"W-What?"

"We know." Ami said seriously.

He looked utterly shell-shocked, "B-but...what does that

have to do with anything?"

He was looking desperately at the clock but they ignored him.

"It has EVERYTHING to do with Usagi." Rei said as though he were daft.

"Yes, we know now what your TRUE intentions are!" Mako-chan

announced, eyeing him as though here the most lecherous and

unsavory man on the planet.

"We're not letting you anywhere NEAR Usagi-chan!" Mina told him.

And truly, Usagi was not ready for this shock. How would she take it

when she realized her precious Tuxedo Mask was...the baka.

No one wanted to find out.

Of course Mamoru had no idea Usagi was Sailor Moon so

he was quite baffled.

But none of this mattered because at that moment in burst Usagi in a

rage like none before it.

"CHIBA!" Her voice shook the furniture and Mamoru swallowed hard.

"I WAITED AT THE PARK FOR 30 MINUTES!"

She was stalking towards him now and had him in three quick strides,

faster than any of the girls reacted. Truly there was fire coming from her eyes.

"IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BACKING OUT OF OUR DEAL YOU

ARE SADLY MISTAKEN! I NEVER WANT TO HEAR ODANGO AGAIN!"

That said she threw him back and kissed the life out of him. Head tilt, angle,

positioning, all were perfect though she was displaying quite super-human strength.

There was a moment of silence as the girls and Motoki and most of the

patrons stared in shock.

And then...

RIP the sound of two pairs of shocked lips tearing apart.

"YOU!" They both said in shock, pointing at one another.


	5. Chapter 5

The Last Odango

Chapter 5

Author: Nat-chan

E-mail: natalie. http/oceansofnat. Kissing G

Disclaimer: Although I _am_ the all powerful nat-chan, I do not own Sailor Moon. Or Mamoru. Sigh.

Author's Notes: Little to nothing is known about how Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion met and fell in love.

And then came Nat-chan.

* * *

1000 years earlier…..

For Prince Endymion of earth, the fate of the Universe was decided in an instant by one,

small, incalculable detail. And that detail was the hairstyle of the Queen and Princess of the Moon.

He had always been a well-behaved boy—most of the time anyway. His parents had

never worried about his handling of the responsibility that awaited him as King, even after

discovering that life existed on the Moon. And very powerful and advanced life at that.

They prepared him for that first meeting with thorough education and patience. He was well

versed in the cultural differences, could greet them in their native tongue and was ready to be

as polite and dutiful as his position commanded him to be.

But the moment those two women entered the grand hall, with their hair in those matching

twin buns, it was all for nought. Endymion bit the insides of his cheeks and nudged his guard

and friend Malachite and made a not-so-graceful display of trying not to laugh.

The meeting ran smoothly. Endymion was not a Prince for nothing and only slipped up

once when he mentioned the formal "Ball" that was to be held in their honour and his

eyes wandered erringly to the Princess's hair as he said the word "ball"….he hoped she

didn't notice.

But out in the garden later, he let loose with Malachite and the two of them laughed

until their sides hurt.

"I've never seen anything like it—except in the kitchen when Cook makes those

dumplings….what are they called?" Endymion chortled.

"Odangos." Malachite replied, wiping tears from his eyes.

"How do they keep their heads up?" Endymion laughed.

"Must be the lack of gravity." Malachite jested and they both kept laughing.

But a faint tingling in his senses made Endymion turn and then Malachite. And there

behind them, having heard every word, was Serenity, Princess of the Moon, staring

open-mouthed at them in shock.

Endymion and Malachite froze too, mouths open and stared back.

But Endymion had just enough wicked humour to laugh at the situation and his

smile gave him away.

"It IS the strangest hairstyle I've EVER seen." He confessed and there was laughter

in his voice.

It can be said that the Princess never really forgave him.

In fact, after he met her that evening at the door to the Banquet Hall to lead her in

like a Gentlemen and then whispered, "Good Evening….Odango!" she made a point

of exacting revenge at every opportunity she could afford herself.

Endymion found himself on the receiving end of some unexpected magic. His soup ran

cold and turned his tongue a purple color that did not dissipate for three days. A frog lept

from his boots the next morning and nearly scared the life out of him.

It only made him enjoy taunting her more.

The Queen of the Moon and his parents seemed quite oblivious, too wrapped up in discussing

the sense of impending evil they all felt and how they could combat it.

It was only after the morning that Princess Serenity snuck into his bath that it became apparent

that there was issue between them.

Of course, as Princess Serenity claimed ever afterwards, the blame for that particular event lay

entirely on Prince Endymion who had swaggered by her that morning on his way to the baths

and hollered, "Hey! Princess Odango! Don't trip over your hair today!"

Princess Serenity, who had most unfortunately done just that the night before at the Ball, burned

with rage and indignation. It was not her fault that the wretched gravity of this planet made her

hair _grow_ faster!

She had stormed off with his laughter behind her, then turned back and crept in while he bathed,

turning his last basin of rinsing water ice cold.

And the satisfying scream he had let out when he stood up and poured it unknowingly all over

himself had been music to her ears.

Unfortunately, sneaking in on a totally naked Prince was considered quite the breach of

etiquette—who knew?

Princess Serenity was young enough that his being naked hadn't phased her in the slightest,

nor had she even really looked. It was the scream she'd been after, and the scream she had

got in the end.

Her mother lectured and laid on the guilt but she could see by Serenity's smug face that she

wasn't the least bit sorry.

"Serenity, what has this boy done to you to make you treat him this way?" she asked.

Serenity turned quite serious then, "Mama, he made fun of our hair!"

The Queen of the Moon now bit the inside of HER cheeks to keep from laughing.

Visits between the Earth and the Moon were quite frequent after that, much to Serenity's

disappointment. Prince Endymion was just as obnoxious on the Moon as on Earth and

tormented her constantly, though never in anyone else's hearing.

Not that he didn't end up in his fair share of scrapes because of it. On her own turf,

Serenity employed some clever magic to exact her revenge.

But none of it mattered because he could use that nickname to flub her up so utterly

in the most ideal situations. She had ruined formal speeches, greetings to guests, even

magic spells because of his whispered Odango's. Even if he found himself covered in

half the cake and punch table later 'by accident' it was totally worth it. He'd never met

anyone who rose to the fight like she did.

She was the least boring Princess he had ever known.

And he was the most obnoxious person she had ever known.

That year marked Serenity's last as a child though. She grew taller, filled out, and

matured into the lovely Princess her mother had always hoped her to be. She was

no longer clumsy or prone to mispronouncing unfortunate choice words in foreign

speeches or incantations resulting in disaster.

That was until the Earth family visited and Endymion was around again.

The Queen shook her head at him. He was older too, though he didn't seem to

have realized it. He was still as boyishly eager to taunt her into adventures he

could laugh at as he had been that first year they met.

But Princess Serenity finally had it. The week before his arrival she had finally

mastered the art of moon fan painting, a delicate and difficult art that had been

last on the list of skills she wanted to garner. She'd had quite enough of Prince

Endymion being the bane of her existence as Princess. This time she was ready for him.

She cornered him when he first arrived and he grinned at her, his eyes already

alight with mischief. They'd just come from Mercury, the quietest and most studious

planet of them all and the Princess there had bored him to tears. He'd been so excited

to visit the moon again he'd been beside himself all the way there.

"Princess Odango! Have you missed me?"

"Of course not you idiot!" she retorted, impressing him with her knowledge of earth

insults. Idiot had only recently come into fashion.

"I've had it with your constant tormenting! There is a delegation from Venus here this

week too and I have to deliver a very formal speech to them, followed by an incantation

so complicated I have written it on my hand." She flashed him the symbols scribbled hastily

on her palm and he laughed.

"I will NOT let you ruin it for me! I have mastered every last art of being a Princess and

you always arrive to muck it up for me! NO MORE!"

He merely smiled knowingly back at her, his eyes chiding her with promises the contrary.

But then she leaned in very close to him so that, pinned against the wall, he could see every

detail of her clearly and smell that clean, fresh moon scent off her. Every strand of hair in those

two famous Odango's was in focus, even the tiny beads woven about the base of them. His

eyes widened in alarm. One thing he did NOT want was to start looking at Princess Odango

like a GIRL. He took enough abuse from his parents about reaching a 'marriagable age'.

"Listen here!" she hissed angrily, and that anger flushed in her cheeks and sparking in her

eyes made her a child again so that he breathed out in relief, but her next words did not, "I will give you anything you want, anything, if you will just NOT say Odango ever again!"

Never again? He felt his heart constrict in his chest. Without Princess Odango all his visits would be the same. Every boring planet just like the next. Without Princess Odango he had to be a REAL Prince and start considering that whole marriageable age thing seriously. She watched the pained disappointment on his face with confusion.

Then he seemed to regain himself, "Now now, don't get all worked up Odango. If it's that important to you I won't breath a single Odango during your precious speech and spell ok?"

Her eyes narrowed though and his escape was short-lived.

"Mm-mm." she said, shaking her head, "I want it banished, never to be spoken again!"

Once again he looked quite crestfallen so she leaned still closer so that he tried to back up and found he couldn't. She was pressed against him now and he was forced to realize that she had rounded out quite a bit. When had THAT happened?

"Anything you want." She promised, "Anything I have the power to give you."

For a moment her eyes held his and he read something powerful and mature in their depths—something she had come to own this past year that he wasn't expecting. Then he shook himself and smiled that wide, irritating smile she so despised. It was the smile every other court woman tried in vain to get out of him.

"That's a pretty tall order. You'll have to give me some time to think it over."

She seemed relieved though and smiled eagerly at him, "Take your time!"

He waited for her to let go but she didn't so he said humorlessly but with a little fear in his voice, "Uh, you'd better let go, if someone sees us like this, they might think something they shouldn't."

She pulled back, looking at how close they were but then lifted her chin in a haughty huff, "You wish!" she snapped and stormed off, as offended as ever.

This comforted Prince Endymion greatly.

True to his word, he let her get through her speech and incantation clutz free but it made for a long, boring meal. He leaned over to Malachite with a sigh, "Could this be any less fun? And get this, Princess Odango wants me to stop calling her Odango! What's the fun in that I ask you? She's willing to give me anything I want to stop though. I'll have to think of something she would never ever give me…."

He waited for Malachite to reply and turned in surprise when he didn't to find him staring dreamily at the Princess from Venus.

Oh no.

These past six months his entire set of guards has all lost their minds entirely over women. It was disgusting. And now Malachite, his last sane friend.

Endymion sighed in disappointment. He turned his attention back to Princess Odango, hoping she might cause some calamity on her own. Instead he watched some simpering delegate ask her to dance, kissing her hand and standing too close while they waltzed. He leaned down to whisper something in her ear and it was the look of utter disgust he read on her face that gave him the idea.

He waited until she had rid herself of him and then surprised his parents to no end by crossing the room and asking her to dance. Endymion avoided dancing as much as possible. Women were always saying such inappropriate things to him when they danced. He did not like it one bit.

But now he led Serenity out onto the floor with a devilish smile and she knew he was up to something.

"You promised!" she whispered fiercely.

"Relax Odango, I won't make you clutz up tonight….no matter how tempted I am. This evening just couldn't be more boring."

She sighed in agreement, surprising him, "It was a total snore." She replied, "But at least I didn't humiliate myself!"

"Spoilsport." He teased.

"Jerk." She returned and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that from earth?"

When she nodded he shook his head, "I've been away from home too long."

Then he smiled wickedly at her, "I've thought of the one thing you can give me."

Her face momentarily lit up but the smile died on her lips when he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "You have to kiss me!"

She pulled back in shock and he laughed quietly as they kept dancing.

She realized he thought he'd won and her face set in all its angry lines, "You think I won't do it!"

He scoffed, "You won't!"

But that stubborn chin went up, "You just wait, the second I can get you alone, I'll do it!"

He looked disbelieving and nodded in mock agreement.

To her credit, Princess Serenity would have kissed him, if she could have got him alone. But after that night, her mother decided it was vastly important that they earn loyalty from Earth. And what better way to do that then to send Prince and Princess all over the globe to formally address that issue and participate in ceremony after ceremony to show the friendly relations between the two planets?

Endymion and Serenity found themselves thrown in close and highly supervised quarters for nearly a month. And at first Endymion found his usual volley of Odango caused catastrophes very enjoyable indeed. But since the point of these visits was to show positive relations between the two planets, his father threatened him with one or two very nasty things if he pranked the Princess again.

That left Endymion very bored and dejected indeed. Until Serenity came up with a few pranks of her own, to play on the besotted generals and Princesses of the other planets who often attended.

Poor Malachite found himself on the receiving end of several of those pranks in front of his lovely Mina and could never prove the two of them did it.

Endymion never forgot that first burst of camaraderie when she succumbed to boredom and plotted with him to spice things up.

Not that he didn't take every opportunity he could to trip her up with the hated nickname, often when they were dancing so that he could catch her and make it look like he, the dashing prince, had saved the clumsy princess from her own misstep.

"Just you wait," she would promise, "The first chance I get I'm kissing that smug look of your face forever!"

Even this kind of baldly obvious statement of eminent get together was lost on them both until some weeks later when Endymion's father presented him with an Earth lady to consider for marriage.

Endymion danced politely with her but was horrendously uncomfortable. She seemed alright. She was pretty and well educated and came from the right family. But she was quite dull. An uneasy glance over the Serenity, laughing with the Princess of Venus as they did something rather naughty looking to the punch that was later to color Malachite's tongue purple for weeks, that he had the sudden thought; wouldn't it be better to have for a wife, someone who interested him? Someone would made him laugh? Someone who made the dullery of everyday life bearable?

He had watched her more closely after that. Her mother had attempted a few matchmaking schemes of her own, introducing her to this fellow or that and she hadn't seemed the least interested in any of them.

It would certainly please their parents, Endymion thought, what better way to say that relations between the Earth and the Moon were good?

He didn't think he let anything slip. She seemed quite oblivious to his change of heart. Until they got back to his home and she finally had the opportunity to get him on his own. He had almost forgotten but she cornered him that first night, out in the garden, near the very spot he had first teased her so long ago.

"Ha ha!" she had pointed with satisfaction, "Finally I have you on your own! Say goodbye to Princess Odango forever!"

With that she had stalked over, taken him by the folds of his jacket and pulled him down to meet her.

And the moment their mouths met Endymion realized he had been quite wrong about his feelings for her for some time….possibly since they had first met.

She pulled back from that kiss and his heart froze in his chest. Her wide eyes betrayed her surprised, "Y-you like me?" she squeaked out and he realized lingering too long in that kiss might not have been the best way to first tell her.

He just stared back at her numbly, his cheeks burning, unable to think of anything to say.

He watched her shock face, the way her mouth had fallen open, then his eyes wandered down and saw her trembling hands. And suddenly the corners of his mouth turned up in the same way they had that first moment. His eyes met hers and he broke into a huge grin, "I don't ever want to say goodbye to Princess Odango!" he proclaimed and caught her up in his arms, tipping her back with a laugh.

"Princess Odango is what makes it all worthwhile!" he announced and then touched his nose expectantly to hers.

He was well rewarded as she slowly smiled back and reached up to kiss him again.

It was after all this that the terrible evil on Earth began to turn people to its side---including Endymion's parents who broke contact with the Moon and forbid him to see Princess Serenity. But that did not stop either of them from sneaking back and forth, or from Endymion standing in front of her in that last, gruesome battle.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Last Odango**

Chapter 6

Author: nat-chan

Rated: G

Genre: First Season Romance

Disclaimer: Standard

Author's Notes: short & sweet and lonnnnng overdue, here is the finale.

* * *

"It's you! It's you! I don't belieeeeeeve it!"

– Peggy Jones from the episode "An Artful Attack"

* * *

This of course brings us back to the present where Mamoru and Usagi stood regarding one another in absolute surprise in the Crown Arcade.

For that kiss had been so exactly like the one in the park earlier that they had both recognized the other immediately and were now too stunned to believe it.

"'No way." Usagi uttered.

Motoki was looking between them rapidly and leaned over to Mina, "Did I miss something here?"

Mamoru was holding his mouth as though burnt. He looked very slowly from Usagi to the other girls, his eyes widened further and then he sprinted out the door without a word.

Usagi looked quite offended. Oh no was he going to just run off as Mamoru the same way he had as Tuxedo Mask! He had some explaining to do!

Usagi bolted out the door after him and the girls followed suit leaving a stunned Motoki in their wake.

"I'm so confused," he said, watching after them.

"Don't you run away from me Mamoru Chiba!" Usagi shrieked, easily catching him up in the park.

"No way!" he was panting, "Not you girls! You're all crazy!"

Her eyes narrowed and she looked ready to make him a new face hole when, at this inopportune moment a youma came thrashing through the bushes. In true blazes of irony it was an enormous—you guessed it—Odango.

"That is just RUDE!" Usagi muttered, grabbing hold of her broach. She looked over at Mamoru, his hand inside his jacket. They hesitated, still unbelieving. Then she called out her words of power and tried to ignore his astonished face. It was all for nought as she saw, through the blurs of light in her transformation, his sudden dark shift to Tuxedo Mask!

In the next instant there was no time to think, only fight. Not that there weren't some timely pockets in which to exchange barbs. As he swung her out of the way of danger when she tripped she heard him mutter, "This explains a few things…"

She waited until she had deflected a blow from the youma by leaping in front of him to fire back, "I **thought** you were handsome behind that mask!" in a tone of obvious disappointment.

It was only after the youma was dusted though, that the real argument began. Their costumes faded away and their eyes were angry to cover up that they were afraid.

"I don't believe it!" Usagi expostulated, pointing wildly at him, "It can't be you! It can't! I don't believe it!"

Mamoru crossed his arms and looked insulted, "Why not?"

"Because Tuxedo Mask is brave and kind and handsome and---everything you're not! You're too **evil** to be Tuxedo Mask!"

Finally his mouth cracked into a smile and he shook his head. He knew based on his past behavior he ought to be terribly disappointed. But it was quite the opposite.

"It's like….it's like math and videogames--together!!" Usagi was still valiantly defending the impossibility of it all.

"You know," Mamoru said, "Videogames are technically created using math."

This information did not slow down Usagi.

"Well, that explains it then! It's like…" she blanched, "It's like that story where the guy drinks the potion…"

"Jekyl and Hyde?" he supplied helpfully.

"Yeah! Yeah! It's like that! You're like baka and mask!!!"

Mamoru burst out laughing and Usagi looked as though steam might come out her ears.

"That would make you something like….Odango and Moon!"

"You are NOT allowed to call me that ANYMORE!" she shouted, "I kept my end of the deal! I kissed you!"

Her voice died off then as the realization that they had in fact kissed twice in the past day and a half sunk in.

There was a moment of awkward silence and Mamoru turned a little red. He forced his feet to step towards her and said quietly, "I don't want to stop calling you Odango."

Usagi read something in his face then that gave her bubbly teenage heart pause.

"But I hate it…" she said weakly.

"But I love it…" he said, then suddenly smiled, "I will give you anything, any one thing I have the power to give you, if you'll let me keep it."

Usagi seemed to consider this for a moment. Her blue eyes regarded him anew. This was not how she had foreseen the outcome of her ambitious stress-busting list, but she kind of liked it.

"I want two things…" she said impishly and Mamoru raised his eyebrows. He had a pretty good idea what they were.

Meanstwhile, back at the arcade, Motoki was watching the girls—who had reappeared moments later to regroup and were now watching Ami as she tapped into her tiny computer. Suddenly Ami gasped and froze, her wide eyes looking up at them.

"What, what?" Rei asked, "What does the computer say now?"

Ami looked a little dazed, "You are not going to BELIEVE who the computer says they are now!!!!"

Back in the park, surrounded by not one but dozens upon dozens of roses Mamoru was fulfilling the second part of his bargain and happily kissing Usagi senseless. It was only as he pulled away that a long-ago deja-vu took hold of him, just as it took hold of Usagi herself. Deep down in his bones an image formed of Usagi, long ago, by a different name…only one thing remained the same in his vision. When he pulled away he gingerly touched her odangos.

"Princess…" he murmured, "Princess….Odango!"

He had not yet remembered that particular part of the deja-vu and so was instead quite impressed with himself for coming up with it. Usagi, whose deja-vu had been more thorough decided to let him savour his small victory---afterall, she had recalled some very interesting pranks in detail.




End file.
